25 U.S. Code § 500i - Alienation of reindeer or interests; penalty

Live reindeer in Alaska, and the increase thereof, acquired by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to this subchapter, and live reindeer in Alaska, and the increase thereof, owned by the said natives of Alaska or corporations, associations, or other organizations of said natives, however acquired, shall not be sold or transferred, by descent, devise, or in any other manner whatsoever, to anyone other than the said natives of Alaska the United States for and on behalf of said natives, or corporations, associations, or other organizations of said natives, except with the consent in writing of the Secretary of the Interior or his duly authorized agent, stating that such consent is given upon the condition that the reindeer, and any increase thereof, sold or otherwise transferred with said consent, shall either be butchered in the Territory of Alaska within thirty days or shipped out of said Territory and never brought back alive into said Territory. Sales or other transfers of said reindeer, if made without the consent in writing herein required, or, although made with said consent, if followed by failure to comply with the condition therein required, shall be null and void, and shall not pass any title to or right to possession of any reindeer or increase thereof. No stock or other interest in any corporation, association, or other organization of said natives, engaged in or organized for the purposes of engaging in the reindeer industry or business, shall be transferred, by descent, devise, or in any other manner whatsoever, to anyone other than said natives of Alaska, the United States for and on behalf of said natives, or corporations, associations, or other organizations of said natives. Any willful violation of the provisions of this section by any vendee or other transferee shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $500: Provided, That no title to any reindeer, or reindeer products, owned by the United States for and on behalf of the said natives of Alaska, nor any title to reindeer, or reindeer products, owned by any of said natives or said corporations, associations, or other organizations of said natives, nor any stock or other interest in said corporations, associations, or other organizations of said natives, shall be transferred by descent, device,[1] or in any other manner whatsoever, except pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior for the purposes of preserving the native character of the reindeer industry or business in Alaska and effectuating the other purposes of this subchapter: Provided further, That nothing herein contained shall prevent any native of Alaska who owns reindeer or any interest therein through stock ownership, or otherwise, in any corporation or association or other organization owning reindeer, from transferring his reindeer, or any interest therein, to his children or other native relatives by gift, sale, devise, or bequest, or prevent the same from being so transferred or passed by descent.